Visitors to the Inosoft stand will have the opportunity to gain an impression of the future of process visualization: The HMI and SCADA expert will be demonstrating how machine operators and maintenance staff can be supported in their tasks by the pioneering augmented reality technology of the Microsoft 'Hololens'. The showcase was created in close cooperation with the UX service provider and co-exhibitor Ergosign. In addition to the augmented reality interface developed by Ergosign, Inosoft's 'Visiwin' process visualization plays a central role.

As soon as the visitor puts on the Microsoft 'Hololens', the exhibition stand becomes a machine hall - computer workstations and printing presses now have virtual status information that appears to float above the machine. Gestures can be used to change the menus displayed in the data glasses - for example, from displaying current machine values to showing the job currently being processed. In this way, the real world is directly linked to augmented reality.

The showcase, a cube with various buttons, key switches and operating elements, represents a model machine that is to be put back into operation after an emergency stop. However, the sequence in which these components are to be operated is not apparent to the visitor simply by looking at them. This is where the 'Hololens' comes into play: when the visitor puts on the data glasses, they show them the necessary work steps in the required sequence by means of markings and superimpose helpful descriptions in their field of vision. In this way, the operator is guided step-by-step through the recommissioning process with the help of the 'Hololens' - and always has both hands free. This scenario demonstrates the great potential that data glasses will offer in the future, for example in plant maintenance. "With Industry 4.0, the complexity of systems and machines is increasing. The clear preparation and presentation of information is therefore becoming increasingly important," says Stefan Niermann, responsible for sales and marketing at Inosoft. Inosoft is certain: "Augmented reality will permanently change the operation of systems and revolutionize process visualization."

The new 'Visiwin' version

In the showcase, the system information is prepared and made available by the 'Visiwin' process visualization system, which Inosoft is presenting at the trade fair in the new version 7.2. A new feature is the ability to develop projects using plug-ins: They can be used to transfer the modular structure of a machine or system into the development of a visualization. The user can now program a visualization plugin for each standardized system module. This creates a modular system of plugins from which the machine manufacturer can assemble customized visualizations for different versions of their machine. Overall, this speeds up the engineering process and reduces errors and redundant work. Another new feature is the Classic UI - a new user interface for Windows Forms-based projects. This makes 'Visiwin 7.2' compatible with the previous version 'VisiwinNET', so that old projects can be imported into the current software.